University of Massachusets Athletics
Spring Football: Inside the Huddle
June 19, 2002 | Football
Offensive lineman Tim McDermond is a junior enrolled in the UMass College of Humanities and Fine Arts with a major in journalism. The starting snapper on field goals and extra points, in addition to serving as a backup at center and guard, McDermond transferred to UMass in the fall of 2001 from the University of Georgia. Here, he offers Maroon & White readers an inside look at UMass' recently completed spring football practice sessions.
Day 1 (Friday, April 12)
Nerves and excitement filled the locker room as coach Whipple walked in to address the team. Nine weeks of morning running and lifting were about to culminate in my first UMass spring practice. Coach reminded us that the last time we met in the locker room we were just coming off an embarrassing loss to Richmond and we were not going to relive that feeling again. After coach's speech we were all eager to get that bad taste out of our mouths and get started on our goal of winning the National Championship. Practice was spirited, as there were several sessions of scripted plays putting the offense versus the defense. Our first two practices will be in helmets, a rule mandated by the NCAA. Coach Whipple was pleased with the overall excitement and effort of the first practice, but stressed how important it was to build upon each day and get better because the road to the championship starts now.
Day 2 (Saturday, April 13)
We took the field in front of McGuirk Alumni Stadium to build upon the foundation we laid yesterday. The format of practice was similar to Friday's and the team ran through each practice period with enthusiasm. A high note of practice was the offense's performance during the two-minute drill at the end of practice. A lot of the excitement toward the end of practice was the thought of Monday's practice coming so soon, as it will be the first practice in full pads. Coach Whipple brought the team together after practice and said that he was pleased how the team seemed to get better during practice. He also mentioned how the men will be separated from the boys come Monday, because there will be several full contact drills during our first day in full gear. The anticipation and trash talking between offense and defense went on in the locker room after practice, and I believe everyone is anxious to prove themselves. I'm just excited that we are building team unity every day and I feel good things are ahead of us.
Day 3 (Monday, April 15)
The first practice in full pads was highly anticipated. Practiced commenced at the Dallas Mall, located in front of McGuirk Alumni Stadium, around 4:00 p.m. under rather hot and humid conditions. Coach Whipple did not waste time setting up drills that placed the offense versus the defense in some full contact situations. The session was very spirited with some big hits being made on both sides of the ball. You could tell that the competitiveness was rising as players called each other out to go head to head. There were several periods which included the inside run game, blitz pickup and the pass game. Practice was concluded with a goal line/short yardage drill. This was the most anticipated drill because so many big hits were expected and the losing team had to run sprints. The offense won first by scoring on its first two possessions, but the defense came back strong and stopped the offense in the backfield on two of the next three plays. Overall, coach Whipple was pleased with the practice, but unfortunately some players were mildly injured and coach decided to postpone Wednesday's practice. The team seems to be heading in the right direction and I believe that the offense is slowly coming along.
Day 4 (Friday, April 19)
Thunderstorms postponed practice for three hours on Friday before the Minutemen returned to the Gladchuk practice fields. Practice took place with the players wearing shoulder pads and helmets. For over two hours, the team ran through drills under the lights and in the humidity. Coach Whipple was a little disappointed with the way the team started practice, but was really impressed with the way it finished. A point of emphasis was the fact the team had four days off before practicing Friday evening, but as the practice wore on the team began to gel better. Practice concluded with an enthusiastic two-minute drill from both the first and second team offenses facing the first and second team defenses.
Day 5 (Sunday, April 21)
The spring's first scrimmage arrived today, and it was with much anticipation of the coaches and players. Referees were brought in to officiate one on one drills in the beginning of practice, and then they called the scrimmage. The offense started off slow during a running drill, which is done without the receivers and defensive backs, but was able to bounce back and gain yardage during the scripted play scrimmage. Coach Whipple was pleased with the efforts of his offenses and the defense, but stressed how important building upon each practice will build a stronger team.
Day 6 (Wednesday, April 24)
Practice commenced Wednesday night around 8:00 p.m. at the Gladchuk practice fields. The team wore shoulder pads and helmets and worked out for about two and a half hours. It was more of a mentally challenging practice because the team suffered some injuries in its first scrimmage Sunday, so this practice proved to help those who were nursing injuries. Coach Whipple was pleased with the tempo of practice and re-emphasized how good the team can be next year if we can play together as one unit and limit our mental errors. Thus far the offense has struggled because so many mental errors are occurring. The effort is present amongst the players and the team knows it can be as good as it wants to be, but we are still in the building process right now.
Day 7 (Friday, April 26)
Friday afternoon's practice was more of a mental practice, again, to make sure that each position was recognizing their assignments. With a new defensive coordinator this spring, the offense has seen six different defensive fronts, and they have proven overwhelming sometimes to the players. This is why the coaches want to make sure that each player knows his assignment before he faces the defense. So after several periods of simulated defenses against trash can barrels, the offense did a brief period of blitz pick up and a few reps of the pass game. Coach Whipple was a little hesitant to practice with full pads because he wanted everyone's questions answered and to make sure that everyone was on the same page. Coach ended practice heeding a warning that there were only a few opportunities for each player to be evaluated so every repetition counts.
Day 8 (Saturday, April 27)
The team's second scrimmage took place on a beautiful Saturday morning, and I really believe that the good weather brought out a good scrimmage today. There were several short yardage and red zone scenarios that offered both the offense and defense to showcase their desire to score and stop the ball. The second team offense proved more successful in the red zone, scoring twice, while the first team missed a few opportunities to punch the ball in. However, there were improvements in the live contact since last Sunday, and all the coaches seemed pleased with the enthusiasm and competition. There are still several spots up for grabs, and the coaches are evaluating every play. An air of excitement was present at the end of the scrimmage as coach Whipple put the final play on place kicker Doug White's shoulders. He made a 31-yard field goal to end the scrimmage. Coach Whipple said he was pleased with the enthusiasm throughout the scrimmage and stressed the importance of each player carrying himself with the proper demeanor off the field.
Day 9 (Wednesday, May 1)
A flooded Gladchuk practice field left us to practice on the artificial turf at Garber Field. As the team practiced for two hours in helmets and shoulder pads, the offense finally took a step toward becoming what can be an explosive unit, executing their plays against the defense. Most of the practice was used to see how a new play, which was installed that day, would work against the defense. When the play worked it scored a touchdown, but it took several tries to perfect it. The younger players are beginning to fit into the schemes which the coaches have prepared for them, and flashes of what can be next year are definitely there. Coach Whipple wanted to address the team about the spirit of the practice by saying each unit should pick each other up to elevate the level of competition in practice. The Minutemen will resume practice Friday afternoon before preparing for another scrimmage on Saturday morning.
Day 10 (Friday, May 3)
The Minutemen practiced on the Dallas Mall Friday afternoon in mud and wind. The team worked out for just about two hours in helmets and shoulder pads in preparation for an officiated scrimmage Saturday morning. The offense spent some time working on screens while the defense, despite numerous injuries throughout the spring so far, continued to clean up and game plan their new scheme. Practice ended with an 11 on 11 scrimmage. Coach Whipple addressed the team about Saturday's scrimmage and wanted to see what mistakes the officials could notice and help the team fix.
Day 11 (Saturday, May 4)
Saturday's officiated scrimmage was a spirited one, putting the first- and second-string offenses and defenses against each other, respectively. There was plenty of emotion on the field as the first team offense started to drive against the defense, and coach Whipple was both pleased and disappointed. He pointed out he was happy that players were showing emotion, but he cautioned that they do not need to get penalties while playing. Whipple addressed the team after a spirited goal line situation where the offense scored twice on the defense. He made a point of saying to believe in each other and not listen to any predictions. The Minutemen will be as good as the players want to be. The team has off until the final week of practice starting Tuesday morning.
Day 12 (Tuesday, May 7)
Coach Whipple addressed the Minutemen after an hour and a half practice on the Dallas Mall in helmets. The practice was an opportunity to allow the players to get their legs fresh again after Saturday's scrimmage. Whipple was pleased with Saturday's scrimmage and noted that he liked the fact that there were very few penalties. Coach also mentioned that he didn't want to curb the team's enthusiasm, but to be smart and know when the team can suffer from unnecessary penalties. He emphasized that in order to be successful on the field, the team has to first be successful off the field and in the classroom. He was excited to see the beginning of the final week because he said it would be the culmination of a successful spring.
Day 13 (Wednesday, May 8)
Wednesday night was the final full padded practice before the spring game on Saturday. The players anticipated an intense night of full contact drills to hone their skills as all the final preparations were made. The highlight of practice was the goal line simulation at the end of practice because the loser of the drill had to run sprints while the winners watched. The offense was victorious on a few occasions and won the drill. However, that did not stop the offense from running the sprints with the defense to show the great strides of team unity this team has built so far. Coach Whipple wanted to ensure that every player knew how important of a building block the spring has been, and the spring game was a great opportunity to show the fans what the Minutemen will be all about next season.
Day 14 (Friday, May 10)
Friday afternoon's practice was a 45 minute walk through at McGuirk Alumni Stadium to give the players a chance to get used to the surface of the grass. The spring game is tomorrow morning and the players are highly anticipating a chance at an all out scrimmage.
Day 15 (Saturday, May 11)
Alumni Stadium. The score did not reflect the efforts that were put forth by the offense, but the Maroon team won 7-0. Fans were able to see some of the redshirt freshman make their debut, and quarterback Scott Ratliff definitely had the best day of all the freshmen, leading his team to the only score of the day. Although there was little offense displayed, the defense did a great job of stopping the run game all day. Coach Whipple was a little disappointed in the offense's lack of production, but he was encouraged by all the effort put forth and the fact that no players were injured. He was pleased to see the progress from the first practice and emphasized the importance of how crucial the summer workouts will be for next season. The Minutemen will report for camp on August 7, when we will resume preparations for the 2002 season.
This story was originally published in The Maroon & White. For subscription information please call the Athletic Development Office at (413) 545-4290.
Day 1 (Friday, April 12)
Nerves and excitement filled the locker room as coach Whipple walked in to address the team. Nine weeks of morning running and lifting were about to culminate in my first UMass spring practice. Coach reminded us that the last time we met in the locker room we were just coming off an embarrassing loss to Richmond and we were not going to relive that feeling again. After coach's speech we were all eager to get that bad taste out of our mouths and get started on our goal of winning the National Championship. Practice was spirited, as there were several sessions of scripted plays putting the offense versus the defense. Our first two practices will be in helmets, a rule mandated by the NCAA. Coach Whipple was pleased with the overall excitement and effort of the first practice, but stressed how important it was to build upon each day and get better because the road to the championship starts now.
Day 2 (Saturday, April 13)
We took the field in front of McGuirk Alumni Stadium to build upon the foundation we laid yesterday. The format of practice was similar to Friday's and the team ran through each practice period with enthusiasm. A high note of practice was the offense's performance during the two-minute drill at the end of practice. A lot of the excitement toward the end of practice was the thought of Monday's practice coming so soon, as it will be the first practice in full pads. Coach Whipple brought the team together after practice and said that he was pleased how the team seemed to get better during practice. He also mentioned how the men will be separated from the boys come Monday, because there will be several full contact drills during our first day in full gear. The anticipation and trash talking between offense and defense went on in the locker room after practice, and I believe everyone is anxious to prove themselves. I'm just excited that we are building team unity every day and I feel good things are ahead of us.
Day 3 (Monday, April 15)
The first practice in full pads was highly anticipated. Practiced commenced at the Dallas Mall, located in front of McGuirk Alumni Stadium, around 4:00 p.m. under rather hot and humid conditions. Coach Whipple did not waste time setting up drills that placed the offense versus the defense in some full contact situations. The session was very spirited with some big hits being made on both sides of the ball. You could tell that the competitiveness was rising as players called each other out to go head to head. There were several periods which included the inside run game, blitz pickup and the pass game. Practice was concluded with a goal line/short yardage drill. This was the most anticipated drill because so many big hits were expected and the losing team had to run sprints. The offense won first by scoring on its first two possessions, but the defense came back strong and stopped the offense in the backfield on two of the next three plays. Overall, coach Whipple was pleased with the practice, but unfortunately some players were mildly injured and coach decided to postpone Wednesday's practice. The team seems to be heading in the right direction and I believe that the offense is slowly coming along.
Day 4 (Friday, April 19)
Thunderstorms postponed practice for three hours on Friday before the Minutemen returned to the Gladchuk practice fields. Practice took place with the players wearing shoulder pads and helmets. For over two hours, the team ran through drills under the lights and in the humidity. Coach Whipple was a little disappointed with the way the team started practice, but was really impressed with the way it finished. A point of emphasis was the fact the team had four days off before practicing Friday evening, but as the practice wore on the team began to gel better. Practice concluded with an enthusiastic two-minute drill from both the first and second team offenses facing the first and second team defenses.
Day 5 (Sunday, April 21)
The spring's first scrimmage arrived today, and it was with much anticipation of the coaches and players. Referees were brought in to officiate one on one drills in the beginning of practice, and then they called the scrimmage. The offense started off slow during a running drill, which is done without the receivers and defensive backs, but was able to bounce back and gain yardage during the scripted play scrimmage. Coach Whipple was pleased with the efforts of his offenses and the defense, but stressed how important building upon each practice will build a stronger team.
Day 6 (Wednesday, April 24)
Practice commenced Wednesday night around 8:00 p.m. at the Gladchuk practice fields. The team wore shoulder pads and helmets and worked out for about two and a half hours. It was more of a mentally challenging practice because the team suffered some injuries in its first scrimmage Sunday, so this practice proved to help those who were nursing injuries. Coach Whipple was pleased with the tempo of practice and re-emphasized how good the team can be next year if we can play together as one unit and limit our mental errors. Thus far the offense has struggled because so many mental errors are occurring. The effort is present amongst the players and the team knows it can be as good as it wants to be, but we are still in the building process right now.
Day 7 (Friday, April 26)
Friday afternoon's practice was more of a mental practice, again, to make sure that each position was recognizing their assignments. With a new defensive coordinator this spring, the offense has seen six different defensive fronts, and they have proven overwhelming sometimes to the players. This is why the coaches want to make sure that each player knows his assignment before he faces the defense. So after several periods of simulated defenses against trash can barrels, the offense did a brief period of blitz pick up and a few reps of the pass game. Coach Whipple was a little hesitant to practice with full pads because he wanted everyone's questions answered and to make sure that everyone was on the same page. Coach ended practice heeding a warning that there were only a few opportunities for each player to be evaluated so every repetition counts.
Day 8 (Saturday, April 27)
The team's second scrimmage took place on a beautiful Saturday morning, and I really believe that the good weather brought out a good scrimmage today. There were several short yardage and red zone scenarios that offered both the offense and defense to showcase their desire to score and stop the ball. The second team offense proved more successful in the red zone, scoring twice, while the first team missed a few opportunities to punch the ball in. However, there were improvements in the live contact since last Sunday, and all the coaches seemed pleased with the enthusiasm and competition. There are still several spots up for grabs, and the coaches are evaluating every play. An air of excitement was present at the end of the scrimmage as coach Whipple put the final play on place kicker Doug White's shoulders. He made a 31-yard field goal to end the scrimmage. Coach Whipple said he was pleased with the enthusiasm throughout the scrimmage and stressed the importance of each player carrying himself with the proper demeanor off the field.
Day 9 (Wednesday, May 1)
A flooded Gladchuk practice field left us to practice on the artificial turf at Garber Field. As the team practiced for two hours in helmets and shoulder pads, the offense finally took a step toward becoming what can be an explosive unit, executing their plays against the defense. Most of the practice was used to see how a new play, which was installed that day, would work against the defense. When the play worked it scored a touchdown, but it took several tries to perfect it. The younger players are beginning to fit into the schemes which the coaches have prepared for them, and flashes of what can be next year are definitely there. Coach Whipple wanted to address the team about the spirit of the practice by saying each unit should pick each other up to elevate the level of competition in practice. The Minutemen will resume practice Friday afternoon before preparing for another scrimmage on Saturday morning.
Day 10 (Friday, May 3)
The Minutemen practiced on the Dallas Mall Friday afternoon in mud and wind. The team worked out for just about two hours in helmets and shoulder pads in preparation for an officiated scrimmage Saturday morning. The offense spent some time working on screens while the defense, despite numerous injuries throughout the spring so far, continued to clean up and game plan their new scheme. Practice ended with an 11 on 11 scrimmage. Coach Whipple addressed the team about Saturday's scrimmage and wanted to see what mistakes the officials could notice and help the team fix.
Day 11 (Saturday, May 4)
Saturday's officiated scrimmage was a spirited one, putting the first- and second-string offenses and defenses against each other, respectively. There was plenty of emotion on the field as the first team offense started to drive against the defense, and coach Whipple was both pleased and disappointed. He pointed out he was happy that players were showing emotion, but he cautioned that they do not need to get penalties while playing. Whipple addressed the team after a spirited goal line situation where the offense scored twice on the defense. He made a point of saying to believe in each other and not listen to any predictions. The Minutemen will be as good as the players want to be. The team has off until the final week of practice starting Tuesday morning.
Day 12 (Tuesday, May 7)
Coach Whipple addressed the Minutemen after an hour and a half practice on the Dallas Mall in helmets. The practice was an opportunity to allow the players to get their legs fresh again after Saturday's scrimmage. Whipple was pleased with Saturday's scrimmage and noted that he liked the fact that there were very few penalties. Coach also mentioned that he didn't want to curb the team's enthusiasm, but to be smart and know when the team can suffer from unnecessary penalties. He emphasized that in order to be successful on the field, the team has to first be successful off the field and in the classroom. He was excited to see the beginning of the final week because he said it would be the culmination of a successful spring.
Day 13 (Wednesday, May 8)
Wednesday night was the final full padded practice before the spring game on Saturday. The players anticipated an intense night of full contact drills to hone their skills as all the final preparations were made. The highlight of practice was the goal line simulation at the end of practice because the loser of the drill had to run sprints while the winners watched. The offense was victorious on a few occasions and won the drill. However, that did not stop the offense from running the sprints with the defense to show the great strides of team unity this team has built so far. Coach Whipple wanted to ensure that every player knew how important of a building block the spring has been, and the spring game was a great opportunity to show the fans what the Minutemen will be all about next season.
Day 14 (Friday, May 10)
Friday afternoon's practice was a 45 minute walk through at McGuirk Alumni Stadium to give the players a chance to get used to the surface of the grass. The spring game is tomorrow morning and the players are highly anticipating a chance at an all out scrimmage.
Day 15 (Saturday, May 11)
Alumni Stadium. The score did not reflect the efforts that were put forth by the offense, but the Maroon team won 7-0. Fans were able to see some of the redshirt freshman make their debut, and quarterback Scott Ratliff definitely had the best day of all the freshmen, leading his team to the only score of the day. Although there was little offense displayed, the defense did a great job of stopping the run game all day. Coach Whipple was a little disappointed in the offense's lack of production, but he was encouraged by all the effort put forth and the fact that no players were injured. He was pleased to see the progress from the first practice and emphasized the importance of how crucial the summer workouts will be for next season. The Minutemen will report for camp on August 7, when we will resume preparations for the 2002 season.
This story was originally published in The Maroon & White. For subscription information please call the Athletic Development Office at (413) 545-4290.
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